TOHO Anniversaries X 3 Today!!! (and 1 that I missed)

There are some mighty big Toho anniversaries today! But I would be remiss if I didn’t FIRST mention one that I failed to, back on Monday.

August 8 was the 36th anniversary of the release of FURANKENSHUTAIN TAI CHITE KAIJU BARAGON (1965) aka Frankenstein Conquers the World.
Sorry about missing that one. “Real life” got in the way Monday & Tuesday.

Now for the ‘Main Event”

Today, August 11, marks some fairly big Toho Release Anniversaries, all of them in the ‘Over 45 Club’:

Happy 47th Birthday, UCHU DAIKAIJU DOGORA (1964) aka Dagora, the Space Monster (as U.S. audiences would see it 28 months later). Much of the crew & cast that were present in GHIDRAH, THE THREE HEADED MONSTER are in this one, as the films were basically being made at the same time. Personally, I LIKE Dogora, and always have since I saw it as a kid on the 4:30 Movie as part of one of the incarnations of Monster Week.

Next up, Happy 48th birthday, MATANGO (1963) aka ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE (as it appeared to American TV audiences, beginning 2 years later – no U.S. theatrical release for this one). A neat and creepy horror film in which there’s just no way out, seemingly. When I first saw this, it reminded me quite a bit of the original INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS in basic theme.

Last, and by no means least comes a film that some feel truly launched Godzilla as a franchise. Happy 49th birthday, KINGU KONGU TAI GOJIRA (1962)!!! Next year is the 50th anniversary. I wonder if we’ll FINALLY see a LEGIT U.S. release of the original version? Universal & Sony, MAKE. IT. HAPPEN!!!